Kiss From A Rose
by Mystical Star
Summary: Second Movie spoiler warning:: The night after the fight with Kaguya-hime, Inuyasha and Kagome confess their feelings towards each other. But will their love only complicate things, or can they survive when Kikyou discovers them together?
1. An Evening Star

**Kiss From a Rose**

By Mystical Star

A Kitty-Chan Production 

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Inuyasha. Mostly because if I did, I'd have a whole lot of money and I could speak Japanese! But I only know a few words and I'm broke, therefore I can't own Inuyasha or any related characters. So there! 

**::SPOILER NOTICE::**

This contains spoilers to the second movie, _The Castle Beyond the Looking Glass._ Unless you've already seen it or wouldn't mind knowing what happened, please don't read this and then flame me. I've warned you. The first chapter is basically the biggest spoiler. If you want to pick up reading after that, you should be able to without too much confusion. 

**Author's Note: **A small dictionary of the Japanese words that appear will be provided at the end of the chapter for all you folk who don't know them :) 

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Chapter One ~ An Evening Star

The shadow of night fell over Sengoku Jidai, calling the stars out to play upon the evening sky with the waning moon. 

The sight of the disappearing moon made Inuyasha uncomfortable as he watched it from his spot in a tree above their camp. In a few short weeks, he wouldn't be able to protect Kagome. 

Kagome. 

His nose tickled with the scent of her dried blood that he had shed, digging his claws into her arms as she begged him not to transform. His heart ached, knowing that he had hurt her. He was so disgusted with himself he wanted to wretch. He had hurt Kagome. The hanyou growled in his self-loathing, stirring the sleeping girl below the tree. 

"Inuyasha?" Kagome's voice called out softly, looking up from her sleeping bag. 

"Kagome, is something wrong?" Inuyasha asked hastily, jumping down to her side. 

"I heard you growl," 

"Nothing's wrong, Kagome," The golden-eyed hanyou said, looking away from her. "Go back to sleep," He scratched his nose, trying to cover the scent of her blood. Kagome noticed this. 

"I'm sorry, you can probably smell - "

"Don't apologize for that!" Inuyasha snapped as quietly as he could, not wanting to wake Sango, Miroku, or Shippou. He was obviously still very upset at his inability to control himself. 

Kagome put her hand on his shoulder. "Inuyasha, I don't mind. Getting you back was worth going dying," She said quietly. 

"Don't say that either!" The hanyou barked quietly, suddenly taking her in his arms. 

"Inuyasha, I'm fine," Kagome protested, hugging him back. The silver-haired hanyou grunted and held her closer. The two sat there quietly for a few minutes. 

"Inuyasha?" 

"Hn?" 

"Did you really mean what you said this afternoon?" 

"What?" 

"About not liking me kissing you?" 

Inuyasha looked at Kagome, utterly confused. How was he supposed to respond to that?! Especially with Miroku just inches away, probably listening to the whole thing while he pretended to sleep. 

"Kagome," Inuyasha sighed. 

_'This is it. He's going to tell me that he's in love with Kikyou, _Kagome's heart sank when she heard his tone of voice. 

Instead, the hanyou took Kagome's hand and led her away from the clearing in the trees and took her to a nearby lake at the edge of the forest where they made their camp. 

"Inuyasha, what are you doing?" 

"Answering your question," He replied matter-of-factly, leaning forward and kissing her in the moonlight. Kagome's body tensed for a moment in surprise, but soon her muscles went slack in Inuyasha's embrace and she welcomed the kiss. 

The kiss ended, regretfully, and Kagome looked up into Inuyasha's eyes. 

"Aishiteru," She whispered. 

Inuyasha hugged her close. "Aishiteru, Kagome," 

The young girl began to cry softly into Inuyasha's fire rat robes, alarming him. 

"Kagome?" 

"I'm so glad…Inuyasha…" She hiccupped, not finding the words appropriate for the situation. 

The hanyou lifted her chin and looked into her glassy brown eyes and kissed her softly again. Kagome wrapped her arms around his neck, welcoming the kiss. Unbalanced, the two fell down into the bushes on the side of the lake, their lips not parting once. 

Their kiss ended yet again. Kagome, who was lying upon Inuyasha's chest smiled at him. He smiled back and lifted his head up to her neck, biting her just below her ear. A little of her blood spilled from the mark, but it healed almost instantly. Something entered Kagome's body at that moment. She knew it wasn't bad, but she was confused.

"Inuyasha?" 

"Now all youkai will know that you belong to me," He said, kissing her again. "My mate,"  

"Mate?" Kagome gasped. 

"I've given you a little of my scent," Inuyasha explained. "Now I can protect you, always," 

"And I'll protect you," Kagome added, nuzzling his chest. Inuyasha found this odd behavior for a human, but he shrugged off his questions and kissed Kagome again. He felt the heat of longing for her rise in his body as she returned the kiss. 

No words were spoken as the two lovers took off into the night solidifying their love for each other.

The waves on the lake lapped the shore as the night continued on, the stars playing in the sky until the early hours of the morning when Inuyasha and Kagome finally returned to camp, hand in hand, heart in heart. 

To be continued… 

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Japanese Words

Sengoku Jidai – The warring states era (feudal Japan). 

Hanyou – half-demon. 

Aishiteru – I love you (Note – this has to be the most beautiful word I've ever learned how to speak. Reason numero uno for using it here :D ) 

Youkai – demons


	2. May It Be

**Kiss From a Rose**

By Mystical Star

A Kitty-Chan Production

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Inuyasha. Mostly because if I did, I'd have a whole lot of money and I could speak Japanese! But I only know a few words and I'm broke, therefore I can't own Inuyasha or any related characters. So there! 

**Author's Note: **A small dictionary of the Japanese words that appear will be provided at the end of the chapter for all you folk who don't know them :)

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Chapter Two ~ May it Be

Inuyasha awoke to something pulling on a tuft of his hair. 

"What?" He growled angrily, not bothering to open his eyes as he rolled over on his tree branch. 

"Inuyasha-sama! Wake UP!" The annoyed voice of the flea, Myoga, cried. 

"What do you want?" The flea's lord asked in an irritable voice, trying to brush the insect from his shoulder

"What did you do to Kagome?!"  

Inuyasha opened an annoyed eye and looked at Myoga. "Why?"

"I can smell the difference in her scent, Inuyasha-sama. All youkai can. You mated with her didn't you? Inuyasha-sama, do you know what you've done!?" The flea cried. 

"You idiot. What's wrong?" 

"If all youkai can smell what you've done to her, so can Naraku! And then he can use her as bait for you! Do you realize what danger you have put Kagome in?" 

Inuyasha let out a low growl as he opened both eyes and sat up. He frowned as he looked down on his mate, who was sleeping with Shippou next to her. The hanyou swore under his breath. The sudden curse reached the little kitsune's ears, and his eyes fluttered open. 

Shippou sat up and sniffed the air. 

"KAGOME!!" He wailed. 

Suddenly, everyone in the camp was awake and reaching for their weapons, except Inuyasha, that is. 

"Shippou-chan! What's wrong?" Kagome blurted, sitting straight up. 

"I can't smell you anymore!" The small youkai sobbed. "You don't smell the same!!" 

"Shippou-chan, it's okay, I'm here," Kagome comforted him, taking the small kitsune up in her arms. 

"Sango-sama, what do you suppose could have caused the change in her scent?" Miroku asked, regarding Kagome carefully. 

"I don't know, Houshi-sama," Sango replied. "Kagome-chan, are you alright?" 

Kagome laughed nervously. "I'm fine, really," 

"I hope that a youkai didn't put her under a spell or anything last night," Miroku said, scowling at the thought. Shippou wailed louder. 

"Kagome-chan!" He cried. 

"Kagome-chan, you're face is red, are you sure that you're not sick maybe?" Sango asked, feeling her friend's forehead. 

"Really! I'm fine!" 

"Oi! Bakas!" Inuyasha grunted, hopping from his perch. "She's not sick," 

"Inuyasha, you know what this scent is?" Miroku asked. 

The hanyou sighed. He really wanted to tell the lecherous monk at a different time, knowing what his reaction would be to the situation. 

"Hai,"

He put his hand on Kagome's shoulder. "That scent is mine," 

"Y – yours?" Sango stuttered. 

"Inuyasha," Miroku began, suddenly understanding. The lech got a funny look on his face. The monk laughed. 

"Shizuka ni, Bouzu," Inuyasha growled. 

"But Inuyasha, if you're scent's on Kagome that means that you've…" Shippou began, putting two and two together. 

"She's my mate," Inuyasha stated slightly sheepishly. 

"I'm sure you've consummated the title as well?" Miroku inquired with a sly look on his face. 

"Hentai!" Sango screeched, bonking the lecherous monk on the head with Hiraikotsu. 

Kagome blushed furiously as Shippou blinked, slightly confused. 

"Mate?" He asked Kagome. 

"Yes, Shippou," She replied. 

"That means that I have a Kasan and Tousan now!" 

"What?!" Inuyasha barked. "Otousan!?" 

"Well, I'm technically his mother, so now that we've mated it's only common sense that you're his father," Kagome explained. 

"But - I" 

"Shippou and I are a two for one package, take it or leave it!" Kagome declared. Inuyasha growled. He wasn't sure what a "two for one package" was, but he knew that it included Kagome _and_ Shippou. 

"Fine," He sighed, ruffling the kit's hair. Shippou giggled a little, happy to have a family. Kagome smiled and kissed Inuyasha on the cheek. 

"Arigatou," She whispered. 

"Feh," 

Miroku saw the sign of affection and turned to Sango, who was most alarmed. 

"Houshi-sama…" She warned him. 

"Sango," Miroku sighed, taking her hand in his. The Taji-ya looked most terrified as the monk leaned in to kiss her. 

"HENTAI!" Sango cried, freeing her hand and branding Miroku on his cheek. 

Kagome laughed nervously. _Perhaps I shouldn't do that in front of Miroku anymore…_She thought to herself, hoping Sango would forgive her for putting thoughts in Miroku's head. 

"Inuyasha-sama!! What are you going to do about - " Myoga began to protest, but Inuyasha shushed him by flicking him off of his shoulder. The flea hit the ground with a small thump.

"I'll take care of it!" The hanyou barked irritably.  

"Itai…" Myoga cried, scraping himself off of the ground. 

"Inuyasha, what - " Kagome began. Inuyasha turned to her and took her hand. 

"It's nothing, koi. Don't worry." He assured her. 

"Okay," She said softly, looking into Inuyasha's eyes with complete trust. The hanyou's heart lurched, knowing what danger he had put her in. 

"Shall we continue to Kaede's village?" Sango suggested, giving a considerable distance between herself and Miroku, who was still looking for a kiss. 

"Good idea. I need to refill the first-aid kit," Kagome said, packing her sleeping bag up. 

"You're going back?" Inuyasha asked her. 

"Of course I am silly. I'd hate not to have medicine with me if we were attacked," Kagome said, hoisting her backpack over her shoulders. The hanyou flinched at her last word. 

"Alright then, let's go," He said, walking in the direction of the village. 

The group trekked on towards Kaede's village. Inuyasha spent the whole time thinking about the position he had put his mate in and finally came to a conclusion.

Kagome needed to stay in the future until Naraku was defeated.

 It took them nearly until sunset before they arrived. Kagome was only there long enough to say goodbye to everyone before she left for her time. 

The young girl walked up to the well and stopped just before it to see the setting sun.  Inuyasha trailed after her, his heart doing summersaults in his chest. 

"It's beautiful," Kagome said, regarding the large orange orb hanging in the sky. 

"Hai," Inuyasha said quietly. 

"Inuyasha, are you alright?" She asked him, realizing his soft tone. The hanyou sighed and pushed on Kagome's shoulders, forcing her to sit on the rim of the well. He knelt before her and looked up into her big, brown eyes. 

"Kagome, my scent is all over you," He said. 

"Inuyasha, I knew that," 

"Naraku knows it," 

Kagome looked at him, slightly alarmed. _What are you getting at, Inuyasha?_ She wondered. 

"And he'll use you to get to me. I don't want to see you hurt," Inuyasha said, taking Kagome's hand tightly. 

"I can take care of myself," Kagome stated matter-of-factly, looking slightly puzzled. 

"It's not safe for you here," Inuyasha admitted, squeezing the young girl's hand. She heard a tiny splash and looked down at the hanyou's hand. 

"Inuyasha, you're…" Kagome gasped. _Why are you crying? _She suddenly felt very afraid. 

"Aishiteru," Inuyasha said as he kissed her. Kagome touched his face, feeling the streams of tears flowing from his golden eyes. 

Kagome felt the string that held her Shikon shards around her neck snap, and she ended the kiss. She suddenly knew what Inuyasha was doing. 

"Inuyasha!" She cried as he gave her a gentle push, sending her falling backwards into the well. 

The last thing she saw before being thrust into the future was Inuyasha's golden eyes, glowing in the setting sun as he watched her fall. 

"NOO!" Kagome screamed when she hit ground again. She pounded the ground with her fist, wanting desperately to get back to Sengoku Jidai. 

"No no no no!" She sobbed, scratching at the dusty well bottom. Tears ran freely from her eyes. 

Kagome finally stopped pounding on the ground, her fists throbbing from the impacts. She lay at the bottom of the well and sobbed, hoping that somehow she would be taken back to Sengoku Jidai. 

Her wish never came true. 

To be continued…

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Japanese Words

Houshi-sama – priest

Oi – Hey

Baka – idiot

Hai – yes

Shizuka ni – shut up

Bouzu – priest (I'm guessing it's not as respectable a term to use since Inuyasha uses it…) 

Hentai – pervert

Hiraikotsu – Sango's bone boomerang. 

Kasan & Tousan (Okasan & Otousan) – Mom and Dad

Arigatou – Thank you

Taji-ya – Youkai exterminator

Itai – Ouch!

Koi (Koibito) – A term used to address a boyfriend or girlfriend, used like "Sweetie".


	3. Don't Dream, It's Over

**Kiss From a Rose**

By Mystical Star

A Kitty-Chan Production

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Inuyasha. Mostly because if I did, I'd have a whole lot of money and I could speak Japanese! But I only know a few words and I'm broke, therefore I can't own Inuyasha or any related characters. So there! 

**Author's Note: **A small dictionary of the Japanese words that appear will be provided at the end of the chapter for all you folk who don't know them :)

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Chapter Three ~ Don't Dream, It's Over

"Five years," Kagome sighed, sweeping the stairs of the family's shrine. _Five years and you still haven't come back for me, Inuyasha. _She thought sorrowfully. 

"Where are you?" Kagome asked, looking up into the blue sky. 

"I'm right here!" A voice replied, startling Kagome. She looked down to see a little girl with long, silver hair, golden eyes, and dog ears. 

"So you are, Hikari," Kagome laughed. "Where's your brother?" 

"Finishing lessons with Ji-chan," The little girl identified as Hikari said, smiling brightly. 

"I take it you have finished yours?" Kagome asked. 

"Hai, Kasan! Ji-chan says I'm a better listener than you were!" 

Kagome laughed. "I wouldn't doubt it. Now go and start your chores, then you may play," 

"Hai, Kasan!" Hikari exclaimed, running off to assist her mother with cleaning the shrine grounds.

Kagome smiled and went back to her sweeping. _It's hard to believe that I've become a mother. A mother of twins no less._ Kagome thought to herself. Her thoughts found their way back to five years in the past, the night before Inuyasha pushed her down the well with no way to return. She blushed slightly. _Who would have thought that the first time…. _Kagome sighed, the memory bringing her heart sadness. 

It had taken her a week or two to realize that she was carrying Inuyasha's children. She immediately went to the doctor, who told her that she was going to have twins. Kagome was so alarmed that she nearly fainted. 

She knew that the school would never approve of her pregnancy, so she dropped out, much to her friends' dismay. They stopped by and barraged her with questions. Kagome found it much to difficult to lie to their faces, so she told them everything. At first, her friends were furious about all of the lies, but their fury turned to sympathy when she told them that she was stuck in the present time, carrying her lover's children. Even now, her friends still stopped by to say hello and tell her the latest buzz. Even Hojou came by once in a while. 

When it came time to have the twins, Kagome's mother wanted to take her to the hospital, but Kagome refused, knowing that she was carrying the children of a hanyou, and their appearances might not be "normal".  Come to find out, only one of the twins looked like a hanyou. Hikari. She bore her father's features. Her brother Hikaru, on the other hand, looked exactly like Kagome, with the exception of his golden eyes. 

Sadly, Kagome knew that she couldn't send them to school. Their strange hanyou features would cause too much curiosity, especially Hikari's ears. So she and her grandfather and mother home-schooled them and Kagome became a miko to the shrine, giving into destiny. She wore the traditional red and white robes, but she refused to put her hair in a ponytail. She always wore it down. 

In the past five years, Kagome's miko abilities had flourished. Her grandfather told her it was probably caused by her motherhood, her body had called up her powers to protect her children. Whatever the cause was, Kagome could now sense everything around her, and had acquired many of the same powers that Kikyou once had. Kagome couldn't decide if she was happy or disgusted that she was becoming more and more like her predecessor. 

Kagome sighed and decided that she could not waste her time with daydreaming and went back to her sweeping cherry blossoms from the sidewalk. 

Just then, Hikaru came traipsing out of the house and ran up to his mother. 

"Kasan! I'm done with lessons!" He declared. 

"Sugoi, Hikaru! Hikari is over by the well-house cleaning. Go help her, but remember: Don't go in the well-house," Kagome said, ruffling her son's jet black hair. Hikaru laughed and then ran off to go find his sister. 

He rounded the corner of the house to find Hikari sweeping cherry blossoms from the sidewalk near the well house. He was about to go get a broom when a strange feeling coming from the well-house stopped him. 

"Hikari, did you feel that?" He asked.

"What?" 

"That!" 

"That what?" 

The five-year-old little boy growled and went close to the well-house. 

"Oi! Kasan says we're not supposed to go in there!" Hikari scolded her brother. Hikaru didn't listen and pushed the door to the bone-eater's well house open. 

"Hikaru!" 

Hikaru determinedly walked down the stairs of the well-house and looked down into the well. Hikaru followed him. 

"You're going to be in big trouble if Kasan finds us in here!" Hikari told him as the little boy peeked down the well. 

"What are you looking at anyway?" 

"There's something down there," Hikaru pointed out. 

"Huh?" Hikari asked, looking down the well with her brother. "I don't see anything," 

"I wanna know what it is," Hikaru said. 

"But there's nothing down there!" Hikari protested. Her brother paid her no mind and began to climb down to the bottom of the well. 

"Hikaru!" She called out. The sudden shout startled the little boy, causing him to fall backwards. 

"HIKARU!" 

Hikaru fell into the blackness and disappeared. Hikari stood there for a moment, trying to contemplate why she could not here her brother crying from hitting the bottom of the well. Suddenly, it sunk in that something terrible happened, and she let out an ear-shattering wail. 

Back in front of the shrine, Kagome heard her daughter's cry and dropped her broom immediately, dashing for the well-house. 

She found Hikari coming from the well-house, sobbing. 

"Hikari! What's wrong! Where's Hikaru?" She asked, kneeling down and looking into her daughter's golden eyes. 

"Don't get mad at us but- " Hikari hiccupped, "Hikaru said he saw something in the well, and he fell down and he's not coming back out!"

"Nani?!" Kagome gasped, looking at the open door of the well-house. She could not feel her son's presence. But she knew that he wasn't dead from a long fall. 

"Kasan?" 

Kagome didn't say a word as she walked into the well-house. She followed the same path her children took, feeling where they had been. She reached out into the darkness with her mind, only to find that her son did not lay at the bottom of the well, but on the other side. Her heart skipped a beat. 

"Masaka…" She gasped. 

"Kasan, what's going on?" Hikari asked, coming to her mother's side and clinging to her red miko kimono. Kagome took her daughter's hand. 

"I'm not sure," she replied. Something from the well was calling her. 

"Where's Hikaru?" Hikari asked. 

"I think we should go find out," Kagome said, sitting on the rim of the well. She took Hikari up in her lap. "Hang on tightly," the young woman instructed her child. Hikari nodded and gripped her mother's clothing tightly as Kagome pushed off into the well. 

To be continued…

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Japanese Words

Ji-chan – Grandpa

Miko – Priestess

Sugoi – Wonderful, amazing, cool. 

Oi – hey!

Masaka – It's impossible


	4. Fairytale

**Kiss From a Rose**

By Mystical Star

A Kitty-Chan Production

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Inuyasha. Mostly because if I did, I'd have a whole lot of money and I could speak Japanese! But I only know a few words and I'm broke, therefore I can't own Inuyasha or any related characters. So there! 

**Author's Note: **A small dictionary of the Japanese words that appear will be provided at the end of the chapter for all you folk who don't know them :)

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Chapter Four ~ Fairytale

Kagome nearly died when she and her daughter slipped into the hole in time that would take them back to Sengoku Jidai. When they landed at the bottom of the well, they heard the sounds of birds chirping and the warm sun coming down into the time traveling well, shining in their eyes. 

"Kasan, where are we?" Hikari asked. 

Kagome looked around the well, not seeing Hikaru, she assumed he must have climbed out, so she looked up. 

"We're…back…" Kagome said. Hikari arched a brow. 

"Back where?" she asked. 

"Kagome!?" A familiar voice called out from above the well. Hikari's ears twitched at the sound, as did Kagome's heart. 

"Inu…Inuyasha!" Kagome cried out, grabbing hold of a vine and scaling the wall of the well. Her daughter followed her example, feeling extremely confused. 

Kagome reached the top of the well and tumbled out to see Inuyasha standing there, Hikaru standing next to him. 

"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried out, dashing forward and clomping onto her mate. 

"K-Kagome!" 

Kagome sobbed into Inuyasha's red robes, all of her memories flooding her. She cried and wailed, happy to see her mate again. Inuyasha held her tightly, stroking her hair. 

"Kagome, ssh," He said, kneeling on the ground as Kagome fell with him, weak from her sobbing. 

While their parents were occupied, Hikaru went over to the well and helped his sister out, and both stared at their mother like she was crazy. Hikaru, worried about her, went up to his mother and tugged on her sleeve. 

"Kasan, are you okay?" He asked sheepishly. Kagome stopped her crying and looked over her arm to see her son there. She smiled. 

"Everything is fine now, Hikaru," She said. 

"Kasan!?" Inuyasha barked in surprise. Inuyasha's head swam. _How could she have a pup if we were…oh shit…_Inuyasha thought, remembering the night that they consummated their attachment. 

Hikari came tromping up to her mother and hugged her. "Don't cry, Kasan," She pleaded softly. Kagome smiled and ran her fingers through her daughter's hair. 

"Kagome, what's going on?!" Inuyasha yelped, horribly confused. Both of the children smelled like him and Kagome, and they both bore a resemblance to them.  Inuyasha was especially startled by the little girl's appearance. 

"Inuyasha, these are our children, Hikari and Hikaru," Kagome said softly, taking each child and putting them in her lap. 

"But…you've only been gone three months!" Inuyasha protested. 

"Three months?! Try five years!" Kagome said. 

"What the hell - " 

"Watch your language in front of the children," Kagome scolded, putting a finger to his lips. "Remember, the flow of time is not the same for both worlds. Days go by here, but weeks in the future," 

Inuyasha was silent. He felt horrible. How could he have left Kagome like that? 

"Gomen nasai, Kagome," He sighed, wrapping his arms around his family. 

"It's alright, Inuyasha. You didn't know," Kagome said, soaking up the feel of his arms around her again. She couldn't have been happier. 

The twins smiled brightly at each other. They had often plagued Kagome with constant questions about their father. Hikari especially had wanted to know the origins of her out-of-the-ordinary looks. Now they knew, and now they were busting with happiness. 

"Tousan!" they laughed, clomping onto their father, causing him to fall backwards. Kagome sat and watched as her mate and his pups lay on the grass, laughing. Inuyasha was radiating pride from every pore in his body. 

The hanyou took his children in his arms and smelled their hair, memorizing their scent and their touch. His heart nearly burst from his happiness. 

"Let's take them to the village, Inuyasha," Kagome suggested. She was anxious to see everyone again. Inuyasha nodded. 

"They should see their whole family," He said, referring to Sango, Miroku, Shippou, Kaede, and Kirara. Kagome smiled. 

Inuyasha stood and hoisted Hikari up on his shoulders and Kagome took Hikaru's hand and they walked towards Kaede's village together. 

Meanwhile, in the village, Sango was helping Kaede tend to some sick villagers while Kirara and Shippou watched on. Miroku was off somewhere giving out fortunes for a small price, as Sango warned him not to cheat the villagers or he'd live to regret it. 

Kirara, who was sitting near the door, chirped and her ears twitched, hearing a sound that was familiar. 

"Kirara?" Shippou asked. "What did you hear?" 

Sango looked away from the sick man she was tending to and regarded her little neko youkai. 

"Is something wrong, Kirara?" She asked, putting a wet rag on her patient's forehead. 

Kaede also looked at the door as Shippou peeked out of the doorframe. 

"KAGOME!!!" He squealed with delight, dashing from the house. 

"Kagome-chan!?" Sango gasped. She and Kaede abandoned their work and followed after Shippou, who was scrambling down the dirt road towards Kagome and Inuyasha. 

"Kagome!!" Shippou began to cry, his tears creating a stream of water that flowed behind him. 

"Shippou-chan!" Kagome called out, kneeling on the ground to catch the little kitsune as he plowed into her chest and rubbed his face into her robes. 

"Kagome! I missed you!" He began to cry quite loudly. 

"Kagome-chan, it's so good to have you back!" Sango said, giving her friend a hug. 

The young mother began to cry in unison with Shippou, her heart overflowing with joy.

Shippou's bawling reached the ears of the lecherous monk, who was nearby. Miroku immediately abandoned his fortune-telling and to where the cries were coming from, afraid of danger. When he happened upon the seen, his fears were eased, but he did not stop running. He too was happy to see Kagome. 

"Kagome-sama!" He called out, waving as he came down the hill. 

"Miroku-sama!" Kagome called out. Her heart felt as though it was going to burst from all of her happiness. 

Her children were slightly alarmed by all of the new people surrounding them. Hikaru scurried behind his father's legs and peeked out from around Inuyasha's robes, watching his mother. Hikari, stuck on her father's shoulders, shifted nervously. Inuyasha smiled, amused at their shyness. 

Miroku and Kaede caught sight of the two young children and exchanged confused looks. 

"Inuyasha, who - " Miroku began to ask, pointing to Hikari. 

"It's obvious isn't it, Bouzu? They're my pups!" Inuyasha scoughed. 

"Pups?!" The miko and monk gasped in surprise. Sango looked up and saw Inuyasha with the two children. 

"Kagome-chan?!" She gave her friend a look that demanded explanations. Kagome laughed. 

"Five years have passed in my time since Inuyasha sent me there." She said. 

"Five years?!" Shippou squeaked. 

"Hai, Shippou-chan," Kagome said, stroking his hair. 

"I suppose this means that you have consummated the act, eh, Inuyasha?" Miroku asked slyly. 

"BOUZU! If my pups weren't right here, I'd maul you!" Inuyasha yelled, shaking his fist. 

"At least he shows restraint in front of the children," Kagome laughed nervously. 

"Otherwise Houshi-sama would be in more trouble than he could handle," Sango added. 

Kagome noticed Hikaru hiding behind his father's leg and smiled. "Hikaru, come here," She giggled. The little boy looked around nervously as if he thought his mother could be talking to someone else. Knowing that he was the only Hikaru around, he shyly came out from behind his father's leg and toddled over to Kagome and clomped onto her arm and held it tightly. 

"This is Hikaru," She said. "She is Hikari," Kagome added, pointing to her daughter, who still sat on her father's shoulders. 

Shippou looked at the little boy with curiosity. "Does this mean I'm a big brother?" The kit asked. 

"Sort of," Kagome said. 

Sango smiled. "And you can call me Aunt Sango," she said, ruffling Hikaru's hair. Hikaru giggled. 

"And he," Kagome said, pointing to Miroku, "Is your Uncle Miroku," 

Miroku beamed with his new title. 

"And Kaede, I was hoping that you'd be a grandmother to them," Kagome said, looking at her predesessor's sister. Kaede laughed. 

"Of course, Kagome-chan," She said. 

"We are all family, Kagome-chan," Sango said, putting a hand on her friend's shoulder. 

Kagome smiled widely as tears of happiness ran down her cheeks. 

"Arigatou, minna-san," she said

Inuyasha looked upon his mate and smiled. He was so happy to have her back and near him again. Once more, he was elated to find out that he had pups. But something poked at him from the back of his mind. 

Naraku was still out there.  

To be continued…

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Japanese Words

Gomen nasai – I'm really sorry

Tousan – Dad

Bouzu - priest

Arigatou – Thank you

Minna-san - Everybody


	5. Sweet Dreems

**Kiss From a Rose**

By Mystical Star

A Kitty-Chan Production

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Inuyasha. Mostly because if I did, I'd have a whole lot of money and I could speak Japanese! But I only know a few words and I'm broke, therefore I can't own Inuyasha or any related characters. So there! 

**Author's Note: **A small dictionary of the Japanese words that appear will be provided at the end of the chapter for all you folk who don't know them :)

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Chapter Five ~ Sweet Dreams 

Night fell in Sengoku Jidai, forcing the villagers into their homes to sleep. Kaede had offered Kagome, Inuyasha, and their children a place to stay for the night in the back room of her home. With much hesitation, Kagome accepted, her only alternative being a tree branch. 

Almost immodestly after being offered a place to sleep next to Kagome, Shippou settled in and started bagging "z's", tired from all of the excitement of having his surrogate mother back. 

Just as they were getting the children ready for bed, Kagome decided to make herself scarce so Inuyasha could tuck them in. She thought it would be a good experience for him to bond with Hikari and Hikaru, so she made up a quick excuse to go out of the room. 

"Inuyasha, I have to go," She said. 

"Go where?" Inuyasha asked skeptically. 

"I have to _go,_" She reiterated. Her mate thought for a moment, then nodded his head. 

"Ooh…but what about the - "

"You can tuck them in, you _are_ their father," Kagome said, kissing him on the cheek. 

"Okay," He said, not sounding all too confident. 

"I'll be back in a minute," Kagome said, walking from the room. 

Inuyasha looked at Hikari and Hikaru, who were staring expectantly up at him with their big, golden eyes. _This is ridiculous, _He thought. _If I can fight Naraku and live to tell about it then I can put a couple of kids to bed. Piece of cake. _The hanyou told himself. 

A feeling of incompetence fell over him, never having had to tuck children into bed before. _Or not, _he thought. 

"Um," He began, sitting down next to his pups' futons. "So, how do I do this?" He asked out loud. His children laughed. 

"You don't know how to tuck us in?" Hikaru asked. 

"Well of course I……no," Inuyasha admitted, feeling rather embarrassed. 

"Tousan, you're silly!" Hikari giggled. Inuyasha smirked at his daughter, happy that at least _someone _was amused. 

"Hey, it's not like I've done this before, I didn't even know that I had kids until today," Their father pointed out. 

"Why didn't you know?" Hikaru asked, looking at his father expectantly. 

"I…because I sent your mother back to her home so she'd be safe," Inuyasha sighed. 

"Safe from what?" Hikari inquired. 

"Nara…a bad youkai named Naraku," 

"So it's safe now?" asked Hikaru. 

"…yes," Inuyasha said, even though his heart told him he was wrong. 

"Why didn't Kasan come back here?" Hikari asked. 

"She couldn't. See, there's something called the Shikon No Tama, and the only way to go through the well is to use it. I took it away from your mother so she couldn't come back," Inuyasha explained. 

"Is that why she always cried in the well-house?" Hikaru questioned. 

"I don't…wait a minute, what?" Inuyasha asked. 

"When Kasan got sad she went into the well-house and cried. We found her there once, but she got mad and told us that we weren't supposed to go in there," Hikari explained. 

Inuyasha's heart skipped a beat. He felt even more horrible now than he had when he first found out that Kagome had been raising his pups for five years. His conscience was heavy with guilt. The hanyou felt as though he may scream with all of his self-frustration. Needing an outlet for his emotions, he embraced his pups tightly. 

"I'm so sorry that I wasn't there," He admitted softly. "I should have known, I should have smelled the difference in Kagome then," Inuyasha lamented. 

Neither child quite understood what their father was talking about, but they felt sorry for him all the same.

"It's okay, Tousan. I love you anyway," Hikari said. 

The hanyou's heart stopped at his daughter's words and tears trickled from his eyes. He hugged his children closer. 

"I love you too," He choked. _I'll never leave you again, any of you, _he promised his family silently. 

In the meantime, Kagome had busied herself with talking with Kaede, rather than using the little girls' room like she had told her mate. 

"I don't understand how I was able to come through the well," Kagome admitted. "Or Hikaru, for that matter. None of us has a Shikon shard," She added. 

"Well, Hikari and Hikaru are not of your time, or this time. They are of both. It's only logical that they are able to travel freely between the two," Kaede said, poking the burning wood in the fire pit with a wet stick.  

"I suppose that makes sense," Kagome said, watching the flames dance before her eyes. 

"How has everybody been since I've been gone?" Kagome asked. 

"Shippou, of course, has been most depressed. He stayed here with me, but was sick often. He didn't eat a lot," The elderly miko sighed, turning her attention to her sister's reincarnation, who looked quite worried.  

"Miroku-sama and Sango-sama both left for a while and went their separate ways. Sango-sama went to look for her younger brother, Kohaku. What Miroku-sama did, no one knows. But we all can assume it probably had something to do with women," Kaede continued. Kagome laughed, knowing that Kaede hit the nail right on he head with her assumptions of the lecherous monk. 

"What about Inuyasha?" The now twenty-year-old* girl asked. 

"Only the Gods know where he went off too. He wandered off for a while, probably wanting to take on Naraku by himself. He came back every once and a while. I saw him sitting in Goshinboku's  limbs. But he never stayed for long. It was like he was coming back to see if you had returned, Kagome," Kaede observed. 

Kagome chuckled, finding it odd that Inuyasha would see if she would come back when he knew that he had her return ticket with him. 

"But it's strange," The elderly miko continued, poking the fire with her stick again. "Everyone returned just yesterday," 

"How is that strange?" Kagome asked, giving Kaede a skeptical look. 

"It's as if they knew you would be back," Kaede chuckled. 

Kagome was silent. Was it a coincidence? It had to be. That was the only way to explain it. But then again, hadn't Hikari said that her brother saw something down the well? 

"Kagome, you connect us all," Kaede added. "You and Inuyasha and now your children keep us together. We all knew it was time for you to come back, so we all gathered here." 

"Is that…is that what was calling me?" She gasped. 

"Hm?" 

"When Hikari told me that Hikaru fell down the well, I looked down it and felt something was calling me," Kagome explained. 

"It was your soul, Kagome. It was calling you back," 

Kagome sat silently for a few moments, contemplating what the elderly miko had just said. Try as she might, she could not understand how her soul was connected with anyone else's, with the exception of Inuyasha, Hikari and Hikaru. She frowned and looked down at the floor, as if she may find inspiration there. Suddenly, thinking of her family, she realized just how long she had been speaking with Kaede. 

"Ah! I have to get to bed, Inuyasha's probably worrying that I was kidnapped or something!" Kagome exclaimed, knowing how badly her mate jumped to conclusions. Kaede laughed. 

"Konbanwa, Kagome," 

"Konbanwa," Kagome said, bowing respectfully before hurrying into the next room. 

"Inuyasha, Gomen, I - "  

What she found was completely unexpected. Instead of a furious and worried mate, she found a sleeping puppy, his arms wrapped around his children, who were snuggled close to their father. Kagome could not help but smile as she saw Hikari's leg twitch in a canine-like fashion and scoot closer to Inuyasha. 

Her heart melted as Inuyasha let out an almost purr-like noise from his throat. Deciding that she was not about to be left out, she pulled her futon close to her mate and children carefully so as not to wake Shippou. 

Just before lying down to go to sleep, she kissed Hikari, Hikaru, and Shippou on their foreheads. 

"Sweet dreams," She whispered to the children. 

Then, she kissed Inuyasha lightly on the lips and whispered in his ear. 

"Aishiteru," 

To be continued…

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Notes/Japanese Words

*Think about it. If Kagome was 15 during the series, moving forward five years would make her twenty. Wow, Kagome's gettin' old!

Goshinboku – Literally, "The God Tree". The tree that Kikyou sealed Inuyasha to fifty years ago. 

Konbanwa – Good night. 


	6. Moonlight Shadow

**Kiss From a Rose**

By Mystical Star

A Kitty-Chan Production

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Inuyasha. Mostly because if I did, I'd have a whole lot of money and I could speak Japanese! But I only know a few words and I'm broke, therefore I can't own Inuyasha or any related characters. So there! 

**Author's Note: **A small dictionary of the Japanese words that appear will be provided at the end of the chapter for all you folk who don't know them :)

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Chapter Six ~ Moonlight Shadow

That night, Inuyasha stirred in his sleep, dreaming of something that had haunted him since Kagome broke his seal. He let out a gruff noise, awakening his mate next to him. 

"Inuyasha?" Kagome asked quietly, fixing her eyes on her sleeping mate. She took his hand to comfort Inuyasha, though it did not stop his stirring. 

Inuyasha's dream ~ 

"Inuyasha," A ghostly voice called through the darkness. The hanyou whirled around, looking for the owner of the call. 

"Who's there?" He asked, though he knew the answer. 

"Inuyasha, how could you?" The voice asked. Suddenly, from the darkness, none other than the deseacsed shrine maiden, Kikyou, came forward. 

"Kikyou?" Inuyasha gasped. 

"How could you?" She asked again, anger flaring in her eyes. 

"Kikyou, I - "

"Don't try and make excuses for it, hanyou," She hissed. "Those children you're sleeping with now were no accident," 

Inuyasha growled. "I swear, if you do anything to hurt them, I'll - "

"You'll what? Kill me?" Kikyou laughed. "You've done much worse, Inuyasha," She said. Suddenly, blood sprayed from her clay body where the wound Naraku gave her fifty years ago was. The miko fell to the ground, clutching the injury. 

"Kikyou!" Inuyasha rushed forward to help her, but the faster he ran, the farther away she got.

"You have chosen, Inuyasha. But are you sure you have chosen correctly?" Her last words reverberated against his skull, jarring him awake. 

**~ End Dream**

Inuyasha sat straight up, panting. Beads of sweat covered his forehead. He looked down on his children. Pleased to see that he hadn't woken them as well, he crossed his legs and pondered. 

A low, soft growl came from his throat. _"You have chosen, but are you sure you have chosen correctly"? What's that supposed to mean? Is she just jealous, or is she planning something? _Inuyasha thought. Suddenly, the hanyou's heart was overcome with fear. _If Kikyou does something to Hikari or Hikaru, I won't be able to stop her,_ He realized. 

"Dammit!" He cursed softly. 

"Inuyasha, watch your mouth!" 

The surprised hanyou looked down on the futon next to him and saw his mate, wide awake and staring up at him. 

"Gomen," He apologized, averting his eyes from her gaze. Kagome found this behavior odd. 

"Inuyasha, are you alright?" She whispered. 

"I'm fine," Her mate huffed. Of course, she knew what that meant. 

"You can tell me, koi," 

Inuyasha sighed. It was impossible to keep anything from Kagome, even if he tried. 

"Kikyou was in my dreams," He confessed. 

"Kikyou?" Kagome asked, slightly confused. She thought that after the whole mating and children thing that he'd have no problem with choosing herself over Kikyou. "Inuyasha- " she began, but was interrupted by her mate. 

"If she did anything to the pups I wouldn't be able to stop her, Kagome," 

Now it made sense. Kagome could understand that Kikyou was still very dear to Inuyasha. Unfortunatly, what he said next also made sense. 

"You need to take them back, Kagome," He lamented, stroking Hikaru's hair as the little boy slept. "And you need to go with them," 

Kagome's head rushed. It wasn't fair. Her children needed Inuyasha. _She_ needed Inuyasha. 

"Inuyasha, I won't," 

"Don't argue with me, Kagome. You know it's not safe for them here! It's not just Kikyou either. What about Naraku, or Sesshoumaru? Do you realize how easy it would be for them to kidnap any of you three and use you as puppets for me?" 

"We're not going anywhere, Inuyasha. We're a family. Do you know how devastated Hikari and Hikaru will be if I take them back, now that they've just met you? It's not fair to them!" 

"It's not fair to them if they get kidnapped either!" 

Shippou muttered something in his sleep and rolled over, startling the arguing couple into silence. 

"We can protect them," Kagome whispered. 

"Kagome, no!" Inuyasha said as quietly as he could. 

"Inuyasha, do you really think you can keep us in the future? I didn't use my miko abilities to get us back here, the twins are linked with your time and mine. They can travel in between when they like. Even if I tried to keep them in the future, they wouldn't stay, and having them wandering around by themselves is more dangerous than me being here with them." Kagome pointed out. 

Inuyasha frowned. He didn't want to admit it, but his mate was right. There's no way to stop a pair of five-year-olds from getting what they want, especially when it would be so easy for them to sneak. The hanyou sighed. 

"Don't they have to go to that school thing?" He asked, trying his last back up plan. 

"They can't. Hikari's ears would draw too many questions,"  

Inuyasha growled, frustrated to say the least. Having pups was more difficult than he thought it was. Especially pups who had inherited as much stubbornness as his probably had. 

"Fine, but you can only stay until we figure something out. It's still too dangerous even for you to be here," Inuyasha caved in. 

Kagome smiled and kissed him on the cheek. "Arigatou, Inuyasha," 

"Feh," Her mate replied. He knew all to well that her thanks was just a ploy to make him feel better. Which, he had to admit to himself, it did. 

"Goodnight, koi," She said, crawling back under the covers. Inuyasha sighed and did the same. 

"Goodnight, Kagome," 

Kikyou stood at the crest of the hill, looking down through the window on the tender scene. She frowned in disgust. _Even after I send him messages through his dreams he resists me and turns to his beloved copy. _She thought. 

The undead miko glared at her reincarnation with bitter eyes, oozing with jealousy. Kagome was living her life for her. She had Inuyasha's children. She was wearing a miko's kimono and helping to protect the Shikon no Tama. She was sleeping with him now. Kikyou's temper flared at the thought of Kagome all safe and warm in the arms of _her _Inuyasha. 

"This is _not_ over, Inuyasha," She declared in a gruff and angry voice as she walked away into the trees. 

To be continued… 

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**Author's Note: **Dun dun dun! Did you really think that I was just going to go on about how fluffy Inu and Kag's romance is? ;) Naw, there has to be some danger in the plot, this is Inuyasha folks! :D Anyway, I just wanna say:

THANKS FOR THE REVIEWS!!!! ::cries:: I'm so happy!!! 

( but don't stop reviewing!!! ;D )

Keep checking back for updates. If you need a reminder, send me an email (kittychan@kitty-starz.net) and let me know! 


	7. Blood on the Ground

**Kiss From a Rose**

By Mystical Star

A Kitty-Chan Production

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Inuyasha. Mostly because if I did, I'd have a whole lot of money and I could speak Japanese! But I only know a few words and I'm broke, therefore I can't own Inuyasha or any related characters. So there! 

**Author's Note: **A small dictionary of the Japanese words that appear will be provided at the end of the chapter for all you folk who don't know them :)

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Chapter Seven ~ Blood on the Ground

Morning dawned in Sengoku Jidai, bringing new discoveries for Hikari and Hikaru. The twins bolted out of Kaede's home immediately after breakfast, excited to explore their surroundings. 

"Oi! Not so fast!" Inuyasha called as he took off after them. It was apparent that they had _both_ inherited his youkai-like qualities, instead of just Hikari, as their appearances suggested. 

Kagome walked out of the door and watched her family run off to play. A smile crossed her face as Inuyasha tackled his pups and rolled with them in the grass. Shippou sat on her shoulder with a confused look on his face. 

"What's Inuyasha doing?" The little kitsune asked, fearing the hanyou was attacking his own children. 

"He's playing," Kagome giggled. 

"Playing!?" Shippou exclaimed, even more confused. Inuyasha had certainly never been willing to admit he wanted to play before this. That fact alone left the little kit's head buzzing with more questions Kagome laughed.

Inuyasha glanced back to see his mate watching them. 

"Oi! Kagome! C'mon!" He urged, waving his arm for emphasis. Kagome chuckled and shook her head. 

"I have to help Kaede-sama with the sick villagers, but I'll come join you when I'm done!" She assured him, waving back as Kaede stepped out of the house. 

"You don't really have to, Kagome - " 

"It's the least I can do Kaede-sama for letting us stay with you," Kagome said. "Besides, I should anyway," She added. 

"Alright," Kaede conceited. "Shall we go?" 

"Hai," Kagome nodded her head and followed after the elderly miko towards the sick house. Shippou, still seated on his surrogate mother's shoulder, accompanied them, looking forward to making up for lost time with Kagome. 

Just as Kagome and Kaede departed, Miroku appeared, curious about the happy squeals of delight that Hikaru and Hikari were letting out. The lecherous monk chuckled to himself, amused at the sight. He began to walk towards the three. 

"Tousan! Let's play hide-and-seek!" Hikaru suggested, tugging on his father's red sleeve. 

"Hide and what?" Inuyasha asked. 

"Hide-and-seek! We hide and you come find us!" Hikari explained, finding it hilarious that her father didn't know what her favorite game was. 

"Interesting concept," Miroku observed as he approached them. 

"Miroku-oji can play too!" Hikaru suggested. 

"Me?" Miroku asked, not quite used to being called "uncle". 

"Hai!" The twins said in unison. 

"You can help Tousan find us!" Hikaru suggested. 

"I don't need any help finding you two," Inuyasha laughed, pointing to his nose. 

"You can't use your nose, Tousan, that's cheating," Hikaru scolded, looking very serious. 

"How did you know - "

"We can smell too, you know," The black-haired boy pointed out. Inuyasha and Miroku chuckled. 

"Alright, alright, I won't use my nose," The hanyou conceited. 

"Yay!" Hikari cheered excitedly. "Now, close your eyes and count to twenty* while we hide!" She instructed. 

Miroku and Inuyasha looked at each other with confusion for a moment, but then did as the little girl told them to and covered their eyes. 

"One," 

Hikari and Hikaru took each other's hands and ran off into the forest giggling all the way. 

"Two," They heard the two men announce. 

"Where are we going to hide?" Hikaru asked. 

"There!" Hikari exclaimed, pointing to a bush. The two hastily climbed between the branches and waited for their father and Miroku to come find them. Suddenly, a pair of sandaled feet appeared in front of them. 

"What are you two doing?" A voice asked. 

The twins looked up out of their hiding spot to see what looked to be their mother. Hikari's ears flopped back, sensing something was wrong. 

"We're playing hide-and-seek with Tousan," Hikaru stated matter-of-factly. 

"I need you to come with me," Their supposed mother said. "Kaede and I need your help," she added, holding out her hand. 

"You're not Kasan!" Hikari hissed, bearing her youkai teeth. Her brother gave her a skeptical look. 

"Don't be silly," The woman said. 

Hikaru suddenly noticed why his sister was resisting. The scent of this woman was unfamiliar and sick smelling. 

"Hikari's right, you're not our mother!" Hikaru declared. 

"You two don't even recognize your own mother? How silly," The woman reached down and took the children up by their wrists. They both gasped at her touch, she was stone cold. 

"Twenty…" Inuyasha and Miroku muttered in unison, their eyes still covered. 

"TOUSAN!!" An alarmed cry came from the forest. Immediately, Inuyasha dropped his hands from his eyes and sped off to find what had caused the cry. 

"Inuyasha!" Miroku called, running after him. 

The hanyou arrived on the scene just in time to watch his children floating in the air, ensnared by Kikyou's soul stealers as Kikyou herself floated in the front with her youkai's aid. 

"Kikyou!" Inuyasha growled angrily, jumping up, trying to catch hold of Hikari and Hikaru's feet. 

"Tousan!" The twins cried, tears of fear streaming down their face, reaching out to him. 

"Stay out of this, Inuyasha. This is between me and your _mate_," Kikyou said with disgust, throwing some of her miko energy at him to strike him to the ground. Inuyasha landed in the grass with a hard thump. 

"Hikari! Hikaru!" Inuyasha screamed as his children and Kikyou disappeared over the tops of the trees. 

"Bring your mate to the foothills. This is the only way to save your children," The miko's echoic voice commanded. 

Inuyasha stared at the sky menacingly as he sat on the ground and growled. "CHIKUSHO!" he yelled, pounding his fist into the ground. 

"Inuyasha! Where are the children?" Miroku struggled for air as he came upon the hanyou. 

"She has them," Inuyasha said in a low growl. 

"She? …Kikyou?" Miroku gasped. 

"She wants Kagome," Inuyasha stated. 

Miroku suddenly realized how dire the situation was. They were all going to have to fight for Kagome's life and the twins', against someone who Inuyasha so desperately wanted to protect. 

The lecherous monk gripped his staff tightly. '_Inuyasha finally has to choose. His family, or Kikyou.'  _

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Notes/Japanese Words

*I realize that kids that are five years old can't normally count to ten, but hey, they've been home-schooled. This is mostly for the sake of the plot.

Sengoku Jidai – The warring states era in Japan

Oi - Hey

Tousan - Dad

Youkai – demon

Kitsune - fox 

Hai – yes

Miroku-oji – Literally, "Uncle Miroku". 

Kasan - Mom

Chikusho – Dammit!


	8. Angels Crying

**Kiss From a Rose**

By Mystical Star

A Kitty-Chan Production

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Inuyasha. Mostly because if I did, I'd have a whole lot of money and I could speak Japanese! But I only know a few words and I'm broke, therefore I can't own Inuyasha or any related characters. So there! 

**Author's Note: **A small dictionary of the Japanese words that appear will be provided at the end of the chapter for all you folk who don't know them :)

I'm sorry I'm updating so late!!! Things got really busy around here ^^; I'm trying out for All-State and the auditions are soon, but it'll be over soon so I'll keep updating!

PLEASE TAKE NOTE THAT SOMETHING HAS CHANGED!!!! At the beginning of chapter six, I mentioned Naraku as though I was going to weave him into this plot. Well…I'm not anymore ^^; I'm saving it for a possible sequel :D 

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Chapter Eight ~ Angels Crying

Kagome stared at the mountains ahead with steely determination in her eyes. Her maternal instincts had increased her miko abilities three-fold and her aura was radiating anger, making it very difficult for Inuyasha to concentrate. He could feel her tension as he carried her over tree tops as quickly as he could. 

Inuyasha, on the other hand, wasn't exactly complacent either. His insides were tossing and turning, horribly confused on which side he was taking. His first instinct was telling him that he wanted to rip Kikyou to shreds for even threatening to harm his pups, but his second contradicted the first, giving the hanyou one hell of a headache. 

Miroku and Sango, seated on Kirara's back, watched the couple ahead of them, curious as to their reaction. Both the monk and the Taji-ya could feel the anger wafting through the air as if it were a gas. 

"Houshi-sama, how are we going to win this battle?" Sango asked quietly. 

There was a silence while Miroku thought. No logical battle plan came to mind, and he could not predict Inuyasha's, Kagome's, or Kikyou's actions like he normally could. 

"I don't know, Sango-sama. But we will, that much is certain," The monk replied. 

Sango nodded. With so much at stake, there was no way that either Kagome or Inuyasha would let them lose. 

Suddenly, Kagome broke the quiet of the day. 

"There!" She shouted, pointing to a foothill. All in the party looked down to see Kikyou standing near a tree, looking up at them with a menacing smirk on her face as Kagome and Inuyasha's twins wriggled to get free of the soul-stealers which were pinning them to the tree. 

Kagome took an arrow from her quiver and aimed.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha cried out. 

"Trust me, Inuyasha," She said, releasing her arrow. The wooden and stone projectile hurtled towards it's target with remarkable speed and accuracy. Inuyasha closed his eyes as the two touched down on the ground, fearful of what his mate had aimed at. 

"Got it!" Kagome sighed as she hopped off of Inuyasha's back. Inuyasha opened an eye to see that his mate's arrow was not aimed at Kikyou, but at her soul-stealing demons. The young girl had killed one of the demons holding their children to the tree, releasing Hikari. 

"Kasan!" The twins cried happily. 

Kikyou looked the newly freed twins and then at Kagome. 

"You are such an annoyance," The undead miko sighed. 

"Hikari, free your brother," Kagome said, not taking her eyes from Kikyou. The little girl did as she was told and shredded the remaining soul-stealers with her sharp claws. The twins ran for Kagome and hid behind her. 

"You," Kagome said in a low voice as she glared at Kikyou. "I can understand your frustration and anger, but do you have to bring innocent children into the conflict? What have they ever done to you?" she asked, barely maintaining her rage. 

"They were merely a tool," Kikyou said, smiling slightly. 

"Kikyou…" Inuyasha growled loudly. 

"You stay out of this Inuyasha," The undead miko warned, drawing her own arrow and bow and aiming. "I'm going to take back what is mine!" 

Sensing the danger, Kagome pushed her children away. "Get away from here!" She yelled. Hikari and Hikaru scrambled away from their mother just in time to see her stop the arrow that Kikyou had released. 

Kagome's hand burned from stopping such a fast object. She glared at Kikyou. "My soul is my own!" 

Inuyasha, feeling most helpless, gathered his pups up in his arms and took them a good distance away from the battlefield to where Sango and Miroku stood next to Kirara. 

"What are you going to do, Inuyasha?" Miroku asked. 

"Stand by," The hanyou replied. 

"You're not just going to stand here and watch them fight over you are you?" Sango asked, sounding offended. 

"They're not fighting over me," Inuyasha replied. 

"They are fighting over themselves," Miroku added wisely. 

Kagome took aim with her own arrow and released. Kikyou dodged, but not fast enough. The arrow grazed her shoulder, cutting open her miko kimono. The sound of clay cracking split the air and Kikyou fell to the ground, clutching her shoulder. 

Inuyasha's heart ached as he watched his former love's shoulder leak blue orbs of stolen souls.* He looked away, not bearing to watch. 

Kikyou let out a small whimper of pain as she looked straight at Inuyasha. Kagome, who had already drawn and aimed another arrow let her guard down, finding the undead miko's behavior odd. 

"Will you let me die at the hands of my copy, Inuyasha?" Kikyou asked. Kagome flinched, worried. 

Inuyasha looked up at the clay woman with his angry, golden eyes. "You told me to stay out of it. This is your fight, Kikyou," He sighed. 

Kikyou's eyes flared with anger. She glared at Kagome, who responded by putting her guard back up. 

The miko lifted herself up from the ground, not taking her eyes off of Kagome. She smiled evily. 

"If I cannot have him back," She began, drawing a new arrow and aiming at Kagome, "No one will!" Kikyou cried, swiftly turning her aim on Inuyasha and shooting. 

"INUYASHA!" Kagome screamed, dropping her bow and arrow and racing towards her mate. 

The stunned hanyou was too surprised to move. He was easy prey for Kikyou's arrow, which pierced his gut, sending him reeling to the ground. 

"TOUSAN!" Hikari and Hikaru cried out, falling on their knees at their father's side. Kagome joined them and tried to force the arrow from her mate's chest as he howled in pain. 

"Why won't it come out!?" She sobbed, tugging as gently as she could at the arrow. 

"That arrow was not meant to seal him," Miroku gasped. 

"It shall purify his youkai blood until there is none left, and then he shall die," Kikyou cackled. 

Anger and sadness and worry surged through Kagome's body as the arrow refused to come out of Inuyasha's body. The twins howled loudly, sobbing with worry for their father. 

Kagome's eyes overflowed with tears. _I can't lose you, Inuyasha. I won't be able to live with myself if I wouldn't be able to save you. _She thought. The twins' sobbing made the situation feel more urgent. 

Inuyasha's cries of pain became less and less, and his violent thrashing waned as his breaths became shallow. 

Kikyou, sure that she had one, stared upon Kagome feeling triumphant as she saw Inuyasha's life coming to an end. 

Suddenly, something called out from Kagome's body to Kikyou's, making the undead miko shudder. She could feel Kagome's aura growing even more angry and wanting more energy. 

"I won't let you die!" Kagome screamed. 

With her cry, Kagome's body reached out and began soaking up her stolen soul that Kikyou was leaking through her shoulder**. Kikyou became weak and fell to the ground as her body glowed a blue hue. 

"Wh – What is this?" Kikyou gasped, finding it hard to breath. 

Kagome's body sucked up her borrowed soul and used it to extract the arrow that pierced Inuyasha's body. 

A great white light exploded from where Kagome sat next to her mate, making it impossible to see. 

To be continued…

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Notes/Japanese words

*This is a direct reference to episode 124. I'm not going to spoil it for those of you who haven't seen it. I'm trying my hand at literary devices here! Please be patient with my experiments ^^;;

**If you remember waaaay back to the episode where Kikyou was resurrected (I don't know the exact number at the moment), a good deal of Kagome's soul was used to restore Kikyou to the world of the living. 

Hanyou – half-demon. 

Taji-ya – Youkai exterminator

Youkai – demon

Miko – Priestess

( Boy, do I feel evil for leaving you with such a horrible cliffhanger!! XD )


	9. The Long Day is Over

**Kiss From a Rose**

By Mystical Star

A Kitty-Chan Production

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Inuyasha. Mostly because if I did, I'd have a whole lot of money and I could speak Japanese! But I only know a few words and I'm broke, therefore I can't own Inuyasha or any related characters. So there! 

**Author's Note: **A small dictionary of the Japanese words that appear will be provided at the end of the chapter for all you folk who don't know them :)

I'm sorry I'm updating so late!!! Things got really busy around here ^^; 

PLEASE TAKE NOTE THAT SOMETHING HAS CHANGED!!!! At the beginning of chapter six, I mentioned Naraku as though I was going to weave him into this plot. Well…I'm not anymore ^^; I'm saving it for a possible sequel :D 

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Chapter Nine ~ The Long Day is Over

"Tousan, please wake up," A distant voice called to him through the darkness. 

Inuyasha's eyes fluttered open. His vision was foggy at first, but he could barely make out the figures of his children staring down on him. His vision corrected itself within a moment's time, allowing him to look up into Hikaru and Hikari's golden eyes and see them clearly. 

"Where am I?" He asked groggily

"Kaede-sama's home," Hikari responded. Inuyasha sniffed the air, confirming his daughter's statement. 

Suddenly, the hanyou recalled everything that happened and he was immediately concerned. 

"Kagome!" He called out, sitting straight up. 

Within seconds, his mate scrambled into the room and clomped onto him, tears in her eyes.

"Inuyasha, gomen nasai!" She wailed. 

"Kagome?" 

"I didn't mean to! My body just called out for more help and the rest of my soul came back! I had no idea…" Kagome sobbed. 

Inuyasha had a good feeling telling him that he knew what she was talking about. Kaede entered the room with a bowl of herbs, a somber look on her elderly face. 

"Kikyou is…?" Inuyasha began.

"At rest again," Kaede confirmed. 

The hanyou's heart sank as he hugged Kagome tightly to his body. "Kagome, ssh," he comforted to no avail. His mate's sobs did not stop. 

"I never meant to kill her!" She cried. 

"Kagome," Inuyasha began. "Arigatou," 

The raven-haired stopped her sobs momentarily to look into her mate's eyes, confused. 

"She can finally rest," Inuyasha smiled, brushing tears and stray hairs from his mate's eyes and kissing her on the cheek. Kagome sighed, still feeling very guilty. 

Hikaru tugged on his father's sleeve, looking for attention. Inuyasha looked down on his son. "Hai?" 

"You're not going to die anymore, right?" The little boy asked. Inuyasha chuckled and ruffled Hikaru's hair. 

"No," 

"Yay!" Both of the twins cheered and clomped onto their father's waist where Kikyou's arrow had pierced him, causing him to howl in pain. Hikari and Hikaru immediately let go of him, surprised and confused. 

"That hurts!" Inuyasha exclaimed. 

"You said you weren't going to die!" Hikari cried out, confused. 

"Well I'm not so sure anymore!" The hanyou said, falling back on his bed. Kagome laughed. 

"Hikari, Hikaru, why don't you go find Shippou-chan and play?" Their mother suggested. With some hesitation, the twins obeyed and exited the room. Kaede went with them, sensing that the mates needed some time to discuss things. 

"Inuyasha, I'm so sorry," Kagome sighed, putting her hand on his. Inuyasha sat back up and moved closer to his mate. 

"Kagome, the Kikyou you killed was not the Kikyou that I once loved," The hanyou sighed, taking in the scent of her hair. 

"But - "

"I won't pretend that I'm not upset about not being able to save her, but there's nothing else you could have done." 

"There had to be a better way," Kagome lamented. 

"I don't think there was one that didn't involve the pups getting hurt," Inuyasha pointed out. His mate looked down, still feeling extremely guilty. 

"Kagome, I still love you," Inuyasha assured her quietly, kissing her gently on her lips. 

A warm feeling fell over Kagome's body making her feel safe and happy. She still felt badly for having essentially killed Kikyou, but somehow, she knew that it was going to be alright. 

A loud laugh from outside made Inuyasha's ears twitch. He recognized his children's voices and Shippou's happily cheering about something. The hanyou looked towards the window, longing to know what was going on outside. Kagome saw this. 

"Come on, Inuyasha," She said, smiling as she stood up. Inuyasha attempted to stand, but his wound caused him so much pain that he couldn't get off the ground. Kagome smiled tenderly and leaned over to help him up. She put his arm over her shoulder and helped him up.

Together the two slowly walked out of the house and into the sunlight to see Miroku and Sango watching as Hikari, Hikaru, and Shippou chased Kirara around in circles. 

The sun warmed Inuyasha's body giving him a nostalgic feeling as his mate held him there. He nuzzled his face close to hers and kissed her cheek as he listened to the sound of his children's laughter. Kagome closed her eyes, her senses flooding with the warm feel of happiness. 

"Aishiteru," Kagome whispered. 

"Aishiteru," Inuyasha replied, smiling as the sun danced about them. 

-The End-

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Japanese Words

Tousan – Dad

Hanyou – half-demon

Gomen nasai – I'm so sorry

Arigatou – Thank you 

Hai – yes

Aishiteru – I love you 

A/N: ^-^ All done!! I can't believe it! :3 

Please leave me a review and let me know what you think. I really appreciate all the people who review my stuff, and I usually end up looking at theirs at some point in time (that is, when I _have _time!). Again, thanks so much for reading and reviewing, it really means a lot to me! :) 

I'm hoping to possibly do a sequel to this, since I left the Naraku thing wide open…so keep an eye out for it ;D I just need to come up with a plot first ^^;

Inuyasha and all related characters are property of Rumiko Takahashi – Mystical Star (aka Kitty-Chan) does not own them in any way, shape, or form. 

This has been a Kitty-Chan Production

www.kitty-starz.net 


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